1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a fluid control apparatus, and more particularly, to a fluid control apparatus capable of injecting, vacuuming and discharging gas using one port.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lab-on-a-chip (“LOC”) is a device in which a plurality of laboratory functions are integrated, and is also referred to as a ‘laboratory in a chip’ or a ‘laboratory on a chip’. A LOC includes a substrate formed of plastic, glass, silicon or the like, and a miniature reaction chamber, having a sub nano-liter volume, disposed on the substrate. By using the miniature reaction chamber and a very small amount of a sample, experiments or research processes usually performed in conventional laboratories at a larger scale may be quickly performed in the LOC. Due to this advantage, a LOC is regarded as a next generation diagnosis apparatus. By using a LOC, diagnosis of various cancers or measurement of red blood cells, leukocyte or cells may be conducted with only one drop of blood.
In order to conduct diagnosis using a LOC, a fluid control apparatus for providing a reagent and a sample needs to be included in the LOC. In general, there are various methods of driving a fluid in a fluid system. For example, a pump installed in a fluid system may be used, or a fluid may be moved using air pressure or vacuum applied from the outside. By applying air pressure or vacuum from the outside to control the movement of the fluid in the fluid system, an inlet port, through which the fluid is supplied to the fluid system, an outlet port for discharging the fluid and a vent or a waste for removing unnecessary solutions, are included. Also, according to the application, the fluid may be pushed by applying air pressure or pulled using a vacuum.
However, according to the above-described controlling method, the number of needed ports is increased. For example, the number of ports connected to the reaction chamber in the LOC is increased, and a fluid control unit is desirably connected to each port in order to control fluid flow via each of the ports. Accordingly, when an array including a large number of chambers is integrated in one LOC, the size of the fluid control apparatus increases geometrically according to the increase in the number of ports. In addition, as the number of ports increases, complexity of the interface between the LOC and the fluid control apparatus increases.